THE BASICS ON HOW TO PRICE AN ARTWORK Understanding Market Variables:One of the things you must remember is that you can't price your art in the absence of market variables & statistics. There are a few criteria that determine how much to charge for painting anything. One of the important facets is how good is your own resume and also your sales-history? Keeping these things in mind along with the variables in the market you can price your Art in a business oriented manner. Also you must consider some practical aspects like your genre or Art when answering the question- how to price my art? . Whether you prefer alternative art or much rather dabble in oil-paintings is an important determining factor. Also how long you have been involved in that genre. And one of the most important is the audience you wish to impress & their opinions. Other comparable factors are the type & cost of materials that your use. Also the kind of money other artists in that genre & at your experience level make. It is important to determine how to price paintings. The scope of your Market:“How to price an art?� Is this question annoying you? In order to be able to price you work properly, you must first define your market. This involves taking a closer look at some specifics like your location, the favorability of your art genre in that location. What are the physical characteristics of your Art (which is especially important if you intent to ship your work internationally? And always look at the pricing process like an experienced dealer or collector would. Or even an art critic. There is nothing to be gained by getting your dose of praise from your close friends & family who like your work anyway & think that it should sell at astronomical prices. What you could do though is use a little known technique designed. It involves pricing some of your Originals higher to make the 'prints' look more attractive. While there is no guarantee but it has worked for quite a few. Negotiating prices:Keep an eye on the prices on you are offered for your art not just your own estimation of what they should sell for. And remember that there nothing wrong with negotiating at a lower price if there is a genuine reason to do so. However you do not want to be known as a huckster who prices too high at first & then brings the prices down in a bargain. Think the streets of Paris not the bazaars of Istanbul! There is a
world of difference between sentiments & real money. Many artists make this mistake of pricing their art according to how they feel about their art. But you must remember that everybody's opinions are different & they have a right to interpret your ideas in whatever manner they see fit. Freedom of expression starts with freedom of though. Needless to say sentimental ideas about your art are not necessarily a great tool for pricing. You must have consistency in your pricing. While art is subjective, but there is no reason to vary your prices wildly. Not only does it make people doubt the validity of your work it also sends them wrong signals about the future value of your work as an investment. Remember it may be a work of art for you, but for someone else it is also an investment. Keeping it simple work with art pricing as it does with most things in life. People like clear, concise & simple price structures. They find it hard enough to make sense of the often verbose & varying descriptions they get. Why make it even more confusing for them by having complex & huge deviations in your pricing? This might seem basic but you'd be surprised how many artists forget about it. One of the most essential actions without which your pricing strategy could fall by the wayside i.e., Mention your prices upfront, do not make people ask you the prices! It seems unprofessional & also creates another barrier for you to sell your work. And once you finally get to a level when you think of raising your prices, we advise you to proceed with caution. Here are a few things you need before you raise prices. Ask yourself if you have been selling consistently for the past year or so? Have you been successful in selling at least 60% of all your artwork? If you answered yes, then yes you are ready. But you need to be able to justify your raise for artistic reasons but also with some business sense. Flexible Contracts & Options:And it is not a good idea to begrudge an art gallery or any other 'agency' the high commission they charge if they are able to provide you prices which you have never been able to attain yet. They are after-all promoting you & giving you (much needed) name recognition. Once you have established yourself as a famous artist whose art is in great demand, you could possibly be able to set your own commission arrangements. But until then you need them. This also applied to any other platform you plan to use for art sales like online art galleries & e-commerce sites. They often charge far lower than physical bricks & mortar art galleries
to get you sales. One of the best examples is an art platform called ShowFlipper. They charge you a paltry $25 for not only hosting your works on their site but they also provide you with a comprehensive promotional package that includes Social Media Promotion across all platforms by a dedicated Social Media Management team, Blog Writing & Promotion by our experienced bloggers & writers, Global Exposure, Customized Content for your unique artwork & 360° Public Relations. Here is a link to their siteShowFlipper. There are also instances when there are people who like your art a lot. They may also be your best critics & advisers. But it may just be so that they can't afford your art. So instead of leaving them high & dry without anything to show for their support, it is good idea to give them some affordably priced art to mull over. Obviously it should not be sub-standard but it can sure be much less expensive than your other work. It is a great idea to participate in Art shows & competitions, especially when you are starting out as an artist. But you must make sure that you do not want to enter an artwork of yours which is either too high or too low of the average prices in that show. The consistency principle is also important here. Document Everything:Another thing many artists forget to do but which is very important is document their work. Little things like a proper title, a date & a legible sign make a world of difference. You must also explain your work in words even if it can speak for itself in volumes. It helps to tell the audience if it has received an award been exhibited where & even interesting facts like if it has ever been stolen! If you use exotic materials for your work & especially to ensure that your work does not degrade overtime, do not forget to list your ingredients, the appropriate care procedures to be followed & any other instructions, so that whoever owns your work, knows how to care for it & preserve it. Wouldn't it be good to put a face to the name people read on your work? So place a photograph of you with your work along with a packet of information containing details like who has owned it when & how many hours it to make it. Remember there is no such thing as too much information when it comes to your artwork. Another thing that seems quite elementary but is easy to overlook is your knowledge of the current affairs of Art. You many have been working on a particular genre some years ago when it was not in demand. But in today’s market it might be the hottest new
trend. Wouldn't you want to capitalize on the new found market? But to do that you need to keep your ear to the ground in the Art world. Don't forget to keep an eye out for collaborative projects. They can be as important as any other tool in your artist survival tool-kit. They bring you newer audiences & a chance to connect with your peers. Obviously you can get a lot of good ideas from these collaborations apart from access to the other artists' audience. A win-win if done right! You can find more information on Artist Statement on this awesome blog. Lowering Prices:Sales are not just for Wal-Marts. It is not a bad idea to have some sort of limited time 'sale' of your work when you are starting out. Not only does it bring you promotional value it also gives you a feel for the market for your art & also the kind of audience you can attempt to cater to. Needless to say people like a good deal. And they tend to tell their friends & family. Isn't that what you want? Now to that grim issue of reducing your prices. Just like raising them, it has its own technique. Speak to art dealers, consultants, fellow artists, etc to see what they think. You are trying to create a lower price structure by responding the market conditions for your art, so it is important to do it only once. Too many reductions too soon will simply destroy any credibility you have as an artist. Lastly, remember that the price of your art does not reflect on you or the artistic quality of your work or the value of paintings by artist. Often times people tend to emphasize these aspects & fret over them. The best way of keeping a level head bout the whole pricing issue is to let the market ebb & flow as a river flows past timeless rocks. They are the ones that enjoy the journey of time the most with their stationary resting place. WHERE TO UPLOAD ARTWORK ONLINE FOR ENSURED SUCCESS?
ShowFlipper is a great platform dedicated to artists to promote and market their artwork. It ensures that the art is successfully marketed to the appropriate and desired buyer at its respected price! Upload your art and get along a journey that takes you towards success!